Grain-binding harvester



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. L. MILLER.

GRAIN BINDING HARVESTER. No. 341,675. Patented May 11, 1886.

INVENTOR Nv PETERS. Phohiilhographer. Washmgton, D, c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. MILLER.

GRAIN BINDING HARVESTBR.

Patented Ma 11, 1886. 4

7%ZZUL 1 JV VEJV' TOR 0% WITNESSES fiiai Attorney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS MILLER, OF AKRON, OHIO.

GRAIN-BINDING HARVESTER.

.EIPECIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,675, dated May 11, 1886.

Application filed May 6, 1884.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, LEWIS MILLER, of Akron,county of Summit,and State of Ohio,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grain-Binding Harvesters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawlugs, making part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of grainbinding harvesters in which the grain is bound on an inclined elevatingtable interposed between the platform-carrier and the path of the drivingwheel, and more particularly to the arrangement of the devices or mechanisms for taking the grain from the carrier at the foot of the inclined table and moving it upward thereon to the compressing or packing and binding mechanisms; and to this end the invention consists,first,iu the combinatiomwith the binder-table,located as described,and with mechanisms for packing and binding the grain thereon, of a picking or gathering mechanism composed of elliptically-moving picker-fingers operated from beneath the inclined table from a crank-shaftlocated between the packer-shaft and the inner end of the platform-carrier, in a novel arrangement of the butter-shaft and of the means for supporting the same, whereby it is adapted to be driven from the pickershaft located beneath the binder-table, as described, and to be supported from the platform-frame; and in the combination,with the heel end of the reciprocating sickle-bar, of pivoted and folding angular or L-shaped teeth or fingers upheld in operative position by springs, and adapted to assist in moving the butts of the grain inward to the action of the pickers and butter, and to fold down and pass outwardly beneath the butts of the grain in the outward throw of the sickle-bar, as hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is plan view of the drive-wheel end of a har- Vestmgmachine embracingmy improvements, with the binder-table removed and parts broken away to show the arrangement of other parts. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, also with parts broken away, showing the arrangement of the pickers or gatherers relative to the packers, and the butter and folding fingers on the knife-bar. Fig. 3 isa rear view showing the arrangement of the pickers or gatherers and Serial No. 130,55]. No model.)

means for actuating the same, and Fig. 4c is a view of the folding teeth on the heel end of the knifebar, enlarged.

The frame-work of the machine and the manner of connecting the same with the main drive-wheel, as shown in the drawings, are the same as in another application filed herewith, dated May 6, 1884:, Serial No. 130,556, and being therein fully described,it is unnecessary to describe the same in detail here, as they may be varied so long as the features of general arrangement or relation of parts herein referred to are retained.

The binder-frame and inclined elevating binder-table,together with the mechanism for binding the grain thereon, are mounted upon the inner end of the main or platform frame adjacent to the drive-wheel A, and between said wheel or the path thereof and the inner end of the platform-carrier 13.

Motion is imparted to the various operative parts of the machine-from the main drivewheel in the present instancethrough the medium of a spur gear or rim, A, fast on the drive-wheel and meshing with a pinion, a, on a secondary transverse shaft, a, mounted in suitable bearings in a binder-frame support or chair, 0, and provided with a bevel wheel or pinion, a, engaging and drivingabevel-wheel, a on the'first longitudinal and main bindergear shaft, D, from which motion is communicated to the various operative parts of the machine, to the binding and packing mechanisms, in a manner and under an arrangement similar to that described in Letters Patent No. 276,448, granted to me April 24, 1883, the shaft D being a crank-shaft,to which the elliptically-moving packers b 1), operating from beneath the slotted bind er-table E, are attached. The shaft D has aspur-wheel, (1, upon it, which meshes with and drives a pinion, d, fast on a crank-shaft, D, from which motion is commit nicated to the knife-bar, and upon its rear end has a sprocket-wheel, (1 fast upon it, from which, through an endless drive-chain, e, and suitable sprocketwheels, (Z and d*, (the former fast on the crankshaft F, actuating the picker or gathering-fingers, and the latter, (1, on the shaft of the inner carrier-rollerg it actuates the inner carrier-roller. The drive-chain moves outward under the sproeket-wheeld,held up in engagement therewith by an adjustable guiding and tension sprocket-wheel, (Z and thence under and around the wheel (1", and serves to give to said sprocket-wheels (hand at and their shafts the same direction of rotation that the shaft D has-viz., inward or toward the drivewheel on their upper faces. The picker-shaft F passes through the rear sill of the platformframe,or a bearing thereon,near the foot of the inclined binder-table and underneath the same, and is supported in bearing-brackets F, secured to the lower longitudinal sill of the binder-frame,and has cranksff, in pairs,set one opposite to the other, formed in it, to which are connected fingers g g,which curve upward toward their points, and the heel ends of which, extending inward beyond their actuating-cranks, are connected by short pivoted links g with suitable lugs, g, on the lower longitudinal bar of the bindenframe or other convenient support. These fingers are so arranged relatively to the inner roller of the platform-carrier as to move up through slots in the binder-table in close proximity to said roller, and serve to pick the grain from the delivery end of the carrier, and by their sweeping elliptical movement to carry the grain up ward on the bindertable to within reach of the packers and needle.

To the forward end of the shaft F is secured a beveled pinion, h, which drives a similar gear, h, on the lower end of an uprightshaft, H, through which motion is imparted to the butter H. The butter shown is of the slatted endless apron form well known, and the shaft H actuating it, and forming the pivot upon which its upper end is adjusted by any usual or preferred means, is supported in bearings in arms of an upright metallic frame, 1, se cured by flanges or feetto the front platformsill, and also, if desired, to a wing or inclined guard, J, formed on the inner shoe, thereby supporting said buttershaft from below only.

The butter-shaft is provided with a tumbling extension, H from which, in practice, motion is imparted to the reel in a similar manner to that described in the patent above referred to, or in any suitable manner.

The reciprocating knife or sickle bar K has short upright lugs or ears formed upon or secured to it near its inner end, to which lugs small angular fingers Z Z are pivoted, with their longer arms, which are adapted to stand in an upright position when the sickle-bar is moving inward and to lie down when the bar is moving outward, curved upward, when in the last-named position, toward their points or ends, for adapting them to catch and be raised by the grain in their inward movement. The short heel ends Z of these angular fingers prevent their long arms passing be yond the upright position when raised by the action of the grain, as described. The grain behind the long fingers causes the latter to be thrown down in the outward movement of the bar, and a light spring, m, secured to the bar on the outer side of the finger, wit-h its free end overhanging and resting on the short end Z, prevents the grain from catching on said arm in its outward movement, acting as an incline over which the grain rides easily, said spring, by its tension, serving also to assist in raising the long arm or finger in the inward movement of the bar.

Those acquainted with the working of this class of machines are familiar with the fact that the butts of the grain, because of their smooth hard surfaces, tend to drag on the forward sill or finger-bar, and to slip on an ordinary carrier and lag or drop behind the heads, which have no such tendency to slip. This action or tendency renders it importantto supplement the action of the carrier and the devices for taking the grain therefrom by some device of the kind last above described, in order to make the butts keep well up with the heads, and thereby insure their being caught and acted upon by the pickers and butter simultaneously with the action of the pickers or gatherers and other elevating devices on their heads for presenting the straw in proper shape to the binding devices.

Having now described my invention, Iclaim as new 1. The inclined elevating bindertable located between the platform-carrier and the driving-wheel, and the elliptically-moving pickers or gatherers operating from beneath said table to move the grain from the platform-carrier to and place it upon said table, in combination with the crank-shaft for operating said pickers, located beneath said table, and the vibrating links supporting the heel ends of said pickers, pivoted to a longitudinal rod or bar mounted on and connecting the front and rear horizontal platformframe sills underneath the binder-table, sub stantially as described.

2. In a grain-binding harvester, the combination,with the side-delivery platfornrcan rier, of the inclined elevating binder-table and packers operating in connection therewith, arranged between said earrier and the driving-wheel, elliptically-moving pickers or gatherers operating from beneath said table, a crank-shaft, also located beneath the in clined binder-table, for actuating said pickers for moving the grain from th inner or delivery cnd of the platform-carrier up to the packers, and butting mechanism geared to and operated from said picker actuating crank-shaft, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a grain-binding harvester, of the inclined elevating binder-table and packers operating in connection therewith, interposed between the platform-carrier and the driving-wheel, the elliptically-moving pickers or gatherers operating from beneath said inclined table for moving the grain from theinner or delivery end of the platformcarrier up to the packers, said pickers being actuated by a crank-shaft, also located beneath said table, a butting-mechanismshaft geared to and operated from said picker-shaft, and a supporting-frame in which said buttershaft has its bearings, upheld at its lower end through connections with the main platform and binder-frames only, substantially as described.

4. In a harvestingmachine, the inclined binder-table interposed between the platformcarrier and the path of the drive-wheel, elliptically-moving pickers or gatherers operating from beneath for moving the grain upward on said table from the delivery end of the platform-carrier to the packing and binding mechanisms, in combination with packing and binding mechanisms and a reciprocating sickle-bar provided at its inner end with the L-shaped pivoted and folding fingers for assisting in moving the butts of the grain, substantially as described.

5. In a grain-bindingharvester, the combination, with the heel end of the reciprocating sickle-bar, of the L-shaped spring-actumy hand this 12th day of April, A. D. 1884. 3 5

LEWVIS MILLER.

W itnesses:

O. L. SADLER', CHAS. W. CRANKsHAw. 

